2026 World Wide Technology Championship Leaderboard: Chris Kirk Leads After Round 1
Andy Molitor
3 hours ago
Chris Kirk leads the 2026 World Wide Technology Championship after Round 1, sitting at 9 under par after a bogey-free 63 at El Cardonal at Diamante in Los Cabos. Nick Dunlap and Zac Blair are one back at 8 under, and the betting favorite is now Ben James, two shots off the pace at 7 under.
Round 1 did not quite finish. Play was suspended for darkness Thursday evening with a handful of players still out, including the final group of Trace Crowe, John VanDerLaan, and amateur Jay Leng, so they went back out Friday morning to finish, with Round 2 already under way.
World Wide Technology Championship Round 1 standings
Kirk is alone at the top of the 2026 World Wide Technology Championship leaderboard at 9 under, with 15 players within three shots of him. That is how this place plays. The ESPN and PGA Tour leaderboards both show more than half of the 120-man field breaking 70 on Thursday, so a three-shot lead here is worth a lot less than it would be most weeks.
The table below shows the top of the World Wide Technology Championship leaderboard after Round 1. Round 2 is under way, so expect these spots to move.
| Position | Player | Score to par |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Kirk | -9 |
| T2 | Nick Dunlap | -8 |
| T2 | Zac Blair | -8 |
| T4 | Matthieu Pavon | -7 |
| T4 | Harry Hall | -7 |
| T4 | Taylor Montgomery | -7 |
| T4 | Kensei Hirata | -7 |
| T4 | Ben James | -7 |
| T9 | Peter Malnati | -6 |
| T9 | Ryan Gerard | -6 |
| T9 | Blades Brown | -6 |
| T9 | Karl Vilips | -6 |
| T9 | Joe Highsmith | -6 |
| T9 | Alejandro Tosti | -6 |
| T9 | Beau Hossler | -6 |
| T9 | Patton Kizzire | -6 |
Another dozen players sit at 5 under, Jay Leng among them with his round still unfinished.
Key storylines from Round 1 in Los Cabos
Chris Kirk is playing for his card
This is not a nothing week for Kirk. He came into the World Wide Technology Championship at No. 110 in the FedExCup Fall standings, and only the top 100 keep full status for 2027, so he has this week and two more starts to climb inside the number. A 63 is a pretty good way to start.
He barely missed anything Thursday. The PGA Tour and ESPN both report he missed just one green, and his best moment came at the 156-yard 16th, where a tee shot he called “a little bit of a chunk pull” turned into a 70-foot birdie putt over the ridge. “It felt like my swing was in a really good spot,” Kirk said afterward.
Ben James backs up the hype
Ben James was the hottest name in the preview market all week, and he shot 65. The PGA Tour University No. 1 already has his card for next season, so he is playing free, and the market has gone all in on him. More on that below.
Blades Brown and Ryan Gerard stay in range
The 19-year-old Blades Brown and pre-tournament co-favorite Ryan Gerard played together Thursday and both shot 66. Three back is nothing on a course where the last three winners finished between 24 and 29 under.
Defending champion Ben Griffin has work to do
Ben Griffin, who set the tournament record at 29 under here last year, opened with a 70 and sits seven shots back at 2 under. That is not fatal at El Cardonal, but he needs a low one Friday just to get back into the conversation. We covered his odds to repeat before the week started, and the price has drifted a long way since.
World Wide Technology Championship odds and the Round 2 betting angle
The verdict: Ben James is the right favorite but not a bet at +480, and the more interesting Friday spot is the afternoon wave heading into the breeziest window of the week. Kirk at +700 is fair for a 9-under start, not a steal, with 54 holes left on a course that hands out birdies to everyone.
Here is how the outright market moved on the leaders, comparing FanDuel’s Wednesday morning board from our weekly notes with FanDuel’s prices pulled at 4:39 AM CT on Friday, November 6.
| Player | Round 1 | FanDuel Wed 11/4 | FanDuel Fri 11/6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben James | -7 | +1500 | +480 |
| Chris Kirk | -9 | +4500 | +700 |
| Ryan Gerard | -6 | +1500 | +1000 |
| Harry Hall | -7 | +3300 | +1600 |
| Blades Brown | -6 | +2500 | +1600 |
| Matthieu Pavon | -7 | +10000 | +3000 |
| Ben Griffin | -2 | +1500 | +5500 |
Look at the gap between James and Kirk. Kirk leads by two, yet James is priced shorter at FanDuel, Fanatics, and BetRivers on Friday morning, +480 at FanDuel and +450 at Fanatics. DraftKings had not posted him. The market is betting on talent over a two-shot cushion, which is defensible, but you are paying full freight for it. If you want a piece of Kirk, +700 at FanDuel was the best number on the board early Friday.
The weather matters more than usual Friday. Our forecast pulls for the week had Friday afternoon as the windiest stretch, with wind building to around 12 mph and gusts in the high 20s from about 11 AM local time, after a calmer morning. Per the PGA Tour tee sheet and Golf.com’s Friday tee times, James and Griffin go off in the morning wave while Gerard and Brown head out in the afternoon. That is a lean, not a lock, since it rests on one forecast model, but it is a reason to wait on the afternoon names until you see what the wind does. Prices on players in that wave tend to move fast, and our guide on how in-play golf odds move explains why waiting can pay.
For the bigger picture, El Cardonal rewards approach play and putting more than length. The fairways are wide enough that most of the field hits them, and the scoring comes from wedges into the short par 4s and from all four par 5s, which played well under par last year. If you would rather weight those stats yourself than trust a leaderboard snapshot, here is how the Rabbit Hole model builder works.
Get the full board before you bet. Make a first deposit at ReBet with code BSG to unlock a free Betsperts Golf subscription and a 100 percent match up to 100 dollars on 10 dollars or more.
World Wide Technology Championship FAQ
When does the World Wide Technology Championship cut happen?
The cut comes once all 120 players have completed 36 holes. Round 1 already ran into Friday morning, so if darkness stops play again, the cut could wait until Saturday morning. Anyone who misses it is done for the week, and with this many players bunched under par, the line is likely to land well below even.
What time does Round 2 start on Friday?
The first groups go off at 7:30 AM Central (6:30 AM local in Los Cabos) on both the 1st and 10th tees, and the last groups tee off at 1:44 PM Central. Round 1 was not done by then. The players still out went back at 8:20 AM Central to finish, after Round 2 had started.
How much does the winner get?
The 2026 World Wide Technology Championship carries a 6 million dollar purse, and the winner also takes 500 FedExCup Fall points, which is a big deal for anyone like Kirk who is fighting to get inside the top 100.
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Responsible Gaming Resources